Clay gun



Feb. 5, 1935.

A. F. GIESE, JR 7 1,989,799

CLAY GUN Filed Oct. 16, 1933' 3 Sheets-Sheet l HI EIZJUF AUGUST 5 6/555, J2.

Feb. 5, 1935. A. F. GIESE, JR

CLAY GUN Filed Oct. 16, 1933 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 RYE-Z715? flueasr 6/555, Je

Feb. 5, 1935. A. F. GIESE, JR

CLAY GUN Filed Oct. 16, 1933 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 EVE-2'71 E1 7 Augusr 6/555 Patented Feb. 5, 1 935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1.989.799

CL'AY GUN August F. Giese, Jn, Gary, Ind. Application October 16, 1933, Serial No; 693,818 13 Claims. (01. 266-42) My invention relates to clay gun structures or structure on plane IV-IV of Figure 1 and also outfits adapted particularly for plugging up tapshowing the runner trough and part of the furping holes of blast furnaces to shut off the flow nace in vertical section; of molten metal therefrom. Figure 5 is an enlarged section on plane V-V 5 Clay gun structures usually comprise a cylof Figure 1 showing the coupling between the gun inder for receiving clay to be discharged, some and the nozzle structure; discharge means as for example a piston operable FigureS is a sectionon plane VI-VI of Figure within the cylinder to discharge the clay there- 5; and from, and driving means for the discharging a Figure '7 is an end'view of the structure shown means mounted on the cylinder, a nozzle exin Figure 5. I 10 tending axially from the end of the cylinder being The gun structure shown is of the type disusually provided for directing the discharged clay. closed in my Patent No. 1,852,560 issued April Heretofore, such gun structures have been sus- 5, 1932. t V U I, pended from supports such as cranes, or were Briefly describing the gun structure shown, it 5 mounted on boom structure and were bodily comprises a cylinder 10 mounted on a suitable' 5 moved from the position away from the front of supportingbase 11 and having an outlet duct 12 the furnace and into position over the runner extending from its outlet end. A cylinder head trough and in alignment with the tapping hole 13 is secured to the cylinder concentric therewith and with the nozzle inserted into the tapping to form a cylinder bore for the travel of a piston hole whereafter the discharge mechanism was 14. from which extends rearwardly -a driving 20 operated to discharge the clay from the gun into screw 15. z the tapping hole. Suchprior clay gun outfits in A frame 16 secured to the head 13 forms therewhich the gun structure is transported bodily with a housing structure for the driving means involve considerable expense in the cost and infor the screw. This driving means comprises a .stallation of the supporting and transporting worm wheel 1'7 having threaded engagement with- 25 means for the gun structure and entail considthe screw and suitably journalled in the housing. erable cost of inspection, repair and general A worm wheel 18 engages the screw and is mountupkeep. ed on a shaft 19 journalled in the housing, a gear The main object of my invention-is to provide a 20 being secured to the shaft and engagedby a clay gun outfit in which the gun structure is transmission train 21 driven by a suitable motor 30 stationarily mounted thereby eliminating entirely 22 preferably electric. A platform 23 extending the need of costly suspending and; transporting from the housing 17 serves as asupport for the means or mechanisms. In accordance with my motor anda tubular housing 24 receives the end invention the gun structure is stationarily mountof the screw shaft 15. The cylinder 10 has one ed in convenient position on the floor adjacent or more filler openings 25 which may be securely 5 to but at one side of the runner trough and a closed by cover structures 26. When the electric nozzle structure is mounted in front of the furmotor is connected for operation, the worm wheel nace and connected with the discharge end of 17 will be driven; and the screw shaft will be the stationary gun structure and operable to move shifted to move the piston 14 slowly and power- 40. a nozzle end into or out of the tapping hole. fully in the cylinder for the ejection of clay there- Another important feature of the invention refrom. sides in the arrangement of the nozzle structure The illustrated embodiment shows parts of the and its operation and control. front wall of a furnace F, the furnace having The above referred to and other features of the tap hole 2'? communicating with the runner theinvention are shownincorporated in the structrough 28 through which the molten metal is 45 ture disclosed on the drawings, in which drawconducted away from the furnace. Extending ings transversely across the runner trough in front of Figure 1 is a plan view of the gun and nozzle the furnace is the controllable nozzle mechanism structure showing its location relative to a furindicated as a whole by N. Thisnozzle structure nace; comprises a supporting body 29 which is shown as 50 Figure 2 is an enlarged side elevation of the gun being tubular and having a contracted or neck structure; end 30 in which is secured a shaft 31 having bear- ,Figure 3 is an enlarged front elevation of the ing in a pedestal 32 supported on the floor 33 in nozzle structure and its controlling apparatus; front of the furnace. Adjacent tothebe'arin'g Figure 4 is an enlarged section of the nozzle pedestal isagearhousing structure 34 also mount- 55 ed on the floor 33 and journalling the outer =43 projected into the runner trough and tap hole.

end of the shaft 31. Within the housing a worm wheel 35 is secured to the shaft and below the worm gear a worm shaft 36 is journalled in the housing and carries a worm 37 meshing with the worm wheel. A suitable motor 38, preferably electric, is mounted on the fioor'and connected with the worm shaft 36. A suitable drive coupling 39 may be interposed in the shaft 3i between the bearing pedestal 32 and the gear housing 34. j

A discharge or'nozzle tube T extends downwardly from the supporting body 29 and has the upper bend or elbow 40 extending through a rsupporting body 29 so that cess 41 cut in the I the upper end of the elbow is coaxial with the body 29 and the shaft 31 and the axis of the lower end of the bend is a verticalplane. At its lower end the discharge or nozzle tube T terminates in an elbow or bend 42 to which is secured the 'nozl zle fitting 43 which as shown is of conical shape. The "axis "of the discharge or nozzle tube T'depending from thesuppor'ting body 29 is in the vertical plane extending through the runner trough and the tapping hole 27 so that upon re vclving of the supporting body 29 this nozzle structure may be swung upwardlyinto a position away from the-tap hole and runner trough, as indicated by dottedlines in Figure 4, or into its lower or discharging position with the nozzle end tapping hole as shown in full lines in Figure 4. i I

The nozzle structure T at its outer end is coupled to the discharge end of the cylinder of the gun structure by bearing structure receiving the end of the nozzle structure. As best shown convenient position in front of the furnace. Asshown, it secured on the floor 33 at one side of therunner trough and inclined away therefrom so as to leave plenty of room for access to the The discharge end 12 of the structure is connected by tubing with the inlet end of the nozzle tube T and preferably this tubing is composed of stock parts welded together. As shown, the tubing comprises a straight cylindrical section 46 secured to the gun discharge end 12, bend sections 4'7 and 43 and an end straight cylindrical section 49 which end section is coaxial with the flange 44 and the outer end of the nozzle tube T, these various sections being welded together as indicated at 50.

The end cylindrical tube section through an opening 51in the vertical Wall 52-of a'supporting pedestal 53 mounted on the floor 33 adjacent to the runner trough, the tube being rigidly secured to the wall 52 as by welding indicated at 54. Surrounding the tube end 49 concentric therewith and abutting the wall 52 is a cylindrical annular wall 55 engaged at its outer end by an annular plate 56, bolts 57 extending through the end plate, the annular Wall 55, and V the pedestal wall 52 to secure these parts together to form a cylindrical enclosing chamber 58. The

discharge tube but is prefer-- 49 extends face of the flange engaging the inner surface of the annular wall 55, the flange also receiving and bearing on the outer end of the tube section 49 to form a joint therewith, so that clay ejectedfrom the clay gun structure may be directed into the nozzle tube T to be conducted through the nozzle fitting 43 into the tap hole. Such passage of the clay under powerful pressure and impetus from the clay gun subject the conducting tubing and nozzle tubing to considerable tension stress. The end plate 56 forms an abutment for the inner wall or shoulder of the flange 44 and prevents axial separation of the flange fitting and the As shown, the end wall 56'instead'ofbeh1g one integral piece may be of two semi-circular pieces as shown in Figure 7, and the bearing ring 59 may also :be of two semi-circular pieces. The plane of the joint 60 of the sections of have lateral projections thereon to form ring'59. v I 7 To guard against leakage of clay through the joint between the flange fitting and the tube end 49 suitable packing is provided. As shown, the flange 44 has the inner annular recess 63-for receiving packing material 64 which is held inby a packing ring or gland place and compressed 65 secured by suitable bolts 66. Wall 55 is provided with which access may readily for adjustment of the packing means.

7 The annular openings 67 through Briefly describingthe operation, the clay gun motor 38 is put into the gun structure is then started andt'ne clay is slowly and powerfully ejected from the gun,

cylinder and caused to flow through the connect-1 ing tubing and into and through the nozzle tube the Wall 5 6 is preferably at right angles to theplane of the I joint 61 of'the bearing ring parts, as clearlyshown in Fig. 7. The sections of theend wall 56 may an aligning and abutment fiange"62,for the bearing tube T downwardly so that the nozzle structure may be had to the bolts 66 T for discharge from the nozzle end 43 into the,

tapping hole. filled the motor 38 is operated to rotate the nozzle structure N to swing the nozzle tube T back to its upper position away from the runner trough and the tapping hole where it will be out of the way of the workmen,

Instead of the electrically driven screw shaft type of clay gun shown, other types of guns may be used and provided they are capable of de-- livering sufiicient pressure to force the clay through the conducting tubing against the resistance encountered at the various bends. The type of gun shown may be comparatively small and compact and still efiicientlyreadily propel sufficient volume of clay for a tap hole plugging operation without refilling of the gun. V 7 By the use of my improved arrangement, involving the stationarily mounted clay gun structure, all additional gun supporting and-trans heretofore necessary with" -bodily movable gunstructures has been eliminatporting mechanism After the tapping hole has been ed with a corresponding saving in cost, supervision and maintenance.

I have described a practical and efficient embodiment of the various features of my invention, but I do not desire to be limited to the exact construction, arrangement and operation shown and described as changes and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as outlined in the accompanying claims.

I claim as follows:

1. Mechanism for plugging the tapping hole of a furnace comprising a cylinder permanently mounted in a fixed position and provided with means for discharging clay therefrom, a discharge nozzle structure connected with said cylinder to receive the clay therefrom, and means for moving said nozzle independently of said cylinder into or out of the furnace tapping opening.

2. Apparatus for plugging the tapping hole of a blast furnace comprising a cylinder having means for discharging clay therefrom under heavy pressure, a discharge nozzle structure connected with the cylinder to receive the clay therefrom, and means for moving said nozzle structure relative to said cylinder into and out of communication with a furnace tapping hole.

3. In apparatus for plugging the tapping hole of a blast furnace, the combination of a clay gun cylinder permanently mounted in a fixed position near the tapping hole and provided with means for discharging clay therefrom under heavy pressure, a discharge nozzle structure adjacent to the tapping hole and connected with the cylinder to receive the clay therefrom, and means for rotating said nozzle structure independently of the cylinder into or out of communication with a tapping hole with which it is associated.

4. The combination with a blast furnace having a tapping hole, of a clay gun cylinder structure mounted in front of the furnace in a perma nent fixed position, and a nozzle structure for said cylinder structure movable relative thereto away from the tapping hole or into communication therewith.

5. Clay discharging apparatus for the tapping hole of a furnace comprising a stationarily mounted clay gun cylinder provided with means for discharging clay under heavy pressure and having a discharge duct terminating above and at one side of the tapping hole, and a discharge nozzle jointed to the end of said duct and movable in a vertical plane away from the tapping hole or into communication therewith.

6. Clay discharging structure for a furnace having a tapping hole and a runner trough extending therefrom, said structure comprising a clay gun cylinder permanently mounted in a fixed position at one side of the runner trough and having a discharge duct terminating adjacent to the tapping hole, a discharge nozzle jointed to the end of said discharge duct for independent rotation on an axis at right angles with the runner trough, and means for swinging said nozzle into position above the runner trough or into said runner trough into communication with the tapping hole.

7. Clay discharging structure for a blast furnace having a tapping hole and a runner trough extending therefrom, said structure comprising a clay gun cylinder permanently mounted in a fixed position at one side of the runner trough, and having a discharge duct terminating above and at one side of the tapping hole, a supporting shaft structure extending across the runner trough at right angles therewith and above the tapping hole, and a discharge nozzle supported on said shaft structure and jointed to said discharge duct, and means for rotating said shaft structure to move said discharge nozzle out of the runner trough or into the runner trough in communication with the tapping hole.

8. A clay gun comprising a cylinder provided with clay discharging means and having a discharge duct, and a discharge nozzle connected with said duct and adapted to be independently swung away from or into clay discharging position.

9. A clay gun comprising a cylinder provided with clay discharging means and having a discharge duct terminating in a bearing head, and a discharge nozzle having bearing at one end in said head for independent swinging movement into or out of clay discharging position.

10. A clay gun for plugging the tapping hole of a blast furnace, said gun comprising a cylinder structure permanently mounted in a fixed position in front of the furnace and provided with clay discharging means and having a discharge duct terminating adjacent to the furnace tapping hole, a bearing coupling head at the end of said duct wtih its axis above the tap hole, a discharge nozzle coupled at its outer end to and having bearing in said head, and means for independently rotating said discharge nozzle to swing it away from the tapping hole or into position with its lower discharge end in communication with the tapping hole.

11. Clay discharging structure for plugging the tapping hole of a furnace, said structure comprising a cylinder permanently mounted in a fixed position in front of a furnace at one side of the tapping hole and provided with clay discharging means and having a discharge duct secured thereto and terminating adjacent to and above the tapping hole, a discharge nozzle having bearing cou pling engagement with said discharge duct for swinging away from the tapping hole or into a discharge position relative thereto, and power driven means for controlling the swing of said discharge nozzle.

12. The combination with a blast furnace having a tapping hole, of a clay gun cylinder immovably fixed to the floor in front of the furnace and provided with clay discharging means, and a discharge nozzle structure for said cylinder movable independently thereof away from or into communication with the tapping hole.

13. A clay discharging outfit for plugging the tapping hole of a blast furnace having a runner trough extending from the tapping hole, said outfit comprising a cylinder permanently mounted in a fixed position at one side of the runner trough, a supporting shaft structure extending across the runner trough above the tapping hole, said cylinder provided with clay discharging means and having a discharge duct secured thereto and terminating in alignment with the axis of said shaft structure, a discharge nozzle structure supported on said shaft structure, a joint bearing connecting the end of said nozzle structure with the cylinder discharge duct, said nozzle structure being aligned with the runner trough, and power means for rotating said shaft structure to cause swing of said nozzle structure out of the runner trough or into discharge position relative to the tapping hole.

AUGUST F. GIESE, JR. 

